Fact: Anyone can and should use a handlebar bag on their bike. It’s not just for gravel riders, folks. A bar bag is a perfect place to store extra clothing, a camera, or that snack that will save you at hour four of your ride. Fact: it is shockingly difficult to find the perfect handlebar bag. After searching the internet far and wide, trying out several bar bag brands, I’ve finally found the perfect bar bag for your next ride, the Lead Out! Mini Handlebar Bag. Here are the top five reasons you’ll want to strap this bag to your gravel, road, or mountain bike bars:
1. The perfect size bar bag for any bike
I’m a small human and that means I have small bikes. My handlebars are narrow and there isn’t a whole lot of space between the top of my bars to my tires, especially on my gravel bike. Before I found the Lead Out! Mini Bar Bag, I either had to use a very tiny bag that barely held anything or a bag that spanned my entire handlebars and nearly touched the tire. The Mini Bar Bag is small enough that I still have space on either side of my bars to rest my hands on and I have plenty of room between the tire and the bottom of the bag.
2. Speaking of Size...storage size matters
Well, you’re probably wondering, “Can a bar bag that fits a tiny gravel bike and road bike actually store anything practical?” You’ll be pleasantly surprised to know this mini handlebar bag is anything but mini- in terms of volume. As someone who strangely finds joy in riding my bike for seven-plus hours in very remote areas, I need a handlebar bag that can actually carry stuff: snacks, arm warmers, a camera, leg warmers, a packable jacket, more snacks...you get the gist. I used the Lead Out! Mini Bar Bag on a six-ish hour ride in Moab. This small handlebar bag managed to fit a 650b tube, CO2, CO2 regulator, tire levers, and an entire bag of Trolli Sour Gummy Worms (for safety). The handlebar bag isn’t just my off-road storage container, though. I’ve used this bag on my road bike to store a compact camera, arm warmers, PopTarts, and gloves.
3. Eco-Friendly Fabric for the Eco-Conscious Shopper
I realize that there are a ton of handlebar bags and bar bag companies out there. You can get lost in the options. So when I’m purchasing something, I try to be a conscious shopper, always choosing the most sustainable or least bad for the Earth option. Because of this, the Lead Out! Mini Bar Bag is an easy choice for me. I’ll get techy for a moment to explain why it’s a great option. This bar bag is made with Bluesign and Oeko-Tex certified fabrics. The Bluesign® certification ensures that Lead Out! produces goods made from materials that are using only chemicals and processes that are safe for people and the environment. Next, Lead Out! uses a variety of PFC-Free DWR alternatives that are bio-based and hydrocarbon polymer-based in order to not only achieve the best water repellency (Your snacks won’t get wet!) but do it with the lowest environmental impact. It’s a win-win!
4. The Price Point
At this point after hearing all the eco-friendly features, you’re probably thinking this dang handlebar bag costs over $100, but you’d be very wrong. Lead Out! has managed to keep the handlebar bag at a great price, just $50. This is comparable or cheaper to similar bar bags, however when you factor in the Earth-conscious fabric choices, it’s the most economical purchase. BONUS: New customers get a handy discount.
5. Secure Attachments
Look, nobody likes a floppy bar bag. I don’t need my expensive camera getting jostled around nor do I want my PopTarts to end up as dust. The mini bar bag comes with an elastic bungee that you can easily wrap around your headtube or under your stem. It is adjustable, so it will fit just about every frame size. The bag has two quick-release straps that attach to the bars. These straps are easy to cinch down tight and they tuck away nicely into elastic bands.
The next time you are looking for the perfect small handlebar bag for your next bike ride, look no further than the Lead Out! Mini Bar Bag. Its perfect size and sturdy construction combined with its price point and eco-friendly features make it an easy choice for any cyclist. (Or the perfect gift for the cyclist in your life.)